Ice-filled structure and tunnelling method for the egress and launching of deep-based missiles

Abstract

Missiles located in the deeper (hard rock) portion of a shaft or tunnel are protected from damage during a nuclear attack by a mass of ice, preferably trumpet-shaped, located in the outermost portion (e.g., 600-900 meters). When missile egress is required, an ice-supported passageway is bored through the ice, preferably by melting. The trumpet shape assures a straight path for missile egress even if the shaft or tunnel should become transversely displaced by a cratering explosion against the surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A structure comprising (a) a solid mass of ice filling a portion of a shaft or tunnel in the earth, said mass of ice (1) being coaxial with a deeper portion of said shaft or tunnel adapted to contain one or more missiles, and (2 ) including a straight path between said deeper portion and the earth's surface whereby said ice is adapted to be bored so as to provide a passageway for said missile(s); said ice-filled portion of said shaft or tunnel and the periphery of said mass of ice adjacent thereto having a diameter at the earth's surface that is substantially larger than the diameter of the passageway required for passage of said missile(s) and is nowhere smaller than the diameter required for such a passageway; and (b) a means of boring outward through said mass of ice along said straight path so as to form an ice-supported passageway extending to the earth's surface for the egress of said missile(s) from the deeper portion of said shaft or tunnel. 
     
     
       2. A structure of claim 1 wherein said solid mass of ice fills a trumpet-shaped portion of said shaft or tunnel in the earth, the wall of the ice-filled portion of said shaft or tunnel and the periphery of said mass of ice adjacent thereto flaring outwardly to a maximum diameter at the earth's surface. 
     
     
       3. A structure of claim 2 wherein the trumpet-shaped portion of said shaft or tunnel and the periphery of said mass of ice flares outward to a diameter of at least 30 meters at the earth's surface. 
     
     
       4. A structure of claim 1 wherein ice lost by melting along the periphery of said ice mass is replaced by the addition of ice to the top of said ice mass. 
     
     
       5. A structure of claim 1 wherein melting of ice is prevented by the circulation of a chilled fluid through pipes at the periphery of said ice mass. 
     
     
       6. A structure of claim 1 wherein the temperature of said mass of ice is less than 0° C. 
     
     
       7. A structure of claim 1 wherein said means of boring through said mass of ice includes a source of heat in an ancillary underground space and means for applying said heat to the ice, whereby said mass of ice is adapted to be progressively melted, said structure also including means for removing melt water. 
     
     
       8. A structure of claim 1 wherein the axis of said shaft or tunnel is substantially vertical. 
     
     
       9. A structure of claim 1 wherein the ice-filled portion of said shaft or tunnel is located in porous rock, and the deeper portion in dense rock. 
     
     
       10. A structure of claim 9 wherein the ice-filled portion of said shaft or tunnel extends to a distance in the range of about from 600 to 900 meters from the earth's surface. 
     
     
       11. A structure of claim 1 wherein said ice-filled portion of said shaft or tunnel is transversely displaced, and at least a portion of said mass of ice is in the sheared, rehealed form as a result of a cratering explosion at the earth's surface. 
     
     
       12. A structure of claim 1 or 11 wherein a straight passageway extends through said mass of ice from the deeper portion of said shaft or tunnel to the earth's surface, said passageway being coaxial with said deeper portion of said shaft or tunnel, and together with it forming a passageway for the egress of said missile(s) to the surface of the earth. 
     
     
       13. A structure of claim 12 wherein said passageway also passes through sheared rock and rubble in the vicinity of a crater formed in the surface of the earth by a nuclear explosion. 
     
     
       14. A method of producing a structure in the earth for protecting one or more deep-based missiles during attack and allowing their post-attack egress to the surface and launching, which method comprises (a) forming a shaft or tunnel leading from the earth's surface to a location deep within the earth; (b) equipping the deeper portion of said shaft or tunnel, or a chamber communicating therewith, with apparatus for progressively excavating a passageway through a mass of ice; and (c) filling said shaft with a mass of ice in a portion thereof extending from an intermediate distance from the earth's surface to the earth's surface, said mass of ice intervening between the earth's surface and the deeper portion of said shaft containing one or more missiles. 
     
     
       15. A method of claim 14 wherein said shaft or tunnel flares outward to a maximum radius at the earth's surface. 
     
     
       16. A method of forming an egress passageway for one or more missiles in a structure produced by the method of claim 14 comprising penetrating said mass of ice so as to form an ice-supported passageway therethrough extending to the earth's surface. 
     
     
       17. A method of claim 16 wherein any solid ice or rubble produced in forming the passageway is diverted from the underlying shaft or tunnel containing the missile into an ancillary chamber. 
     
     
       18. A method of claim 16 wherein said ice-supported passageway is formed by applying heat to the ice, and removing melt water. 
     
     
       19. A method of claim 18 wherein water is removed from said shaft, tunnel or chamber by pumping it down a well drilled into rock underlying the shaft or tunnel containing the missile(s). 
     
     
       20. A method of claim 18 wherein the passageway is melted through the ice with steam jets. 
     
     
       21. A method of claim 18 wherein the heat for melting the passageway through the ice is obtained from a geothermal well. 
     
     
       22. A method of claim 21 wherein water is injected into the geothermal well. 
     
     
       23. A method of claim 18 wherein the heat for melting the passageway through the ice is obtained from the combustion of fuel with air, the air being drawn from one or more pipes extending from the surface of the earth to the deeper portion of the shaft or underground spaces adjacent to it, with an upper section of the pipes 300 to 900 meters long being well screen or perforated pipe and separated from the surrounding rock by a zone filled with gravel. 
     
     
       24. A method of claim 23 wherein the combustion products are rejected through perforated pipes like those used for drawing in air. 
     
     
       25. A method of claim 23 wherein the combustion products are injected into a well. 
     
     
       26. A method of claim 18 wherein the heat for melting the passageway through the ice is obtained from a nuclear reactor. 
     
     
       27. A method of claim 18 wherein the heat for melting the passageway through the ice is obtained from high-level nuclear waste. 
     
     
       28. A method of claim 16 or 18 wherein heat generated in the underground spaces is transferred to ice, melt water, or well water and the resulting warmed water is pumped down a disposal well.